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Physical-electronic game piece in a fresh direction Ozobot

Apr

21

2014

Brand new robot gadgets such as the well-known Sphero 2B are creating innovative ways of enjoying a video game. Whether we like it or not, the whole industry is moving forward and that’s because we cannot prevent technology from advancing. A product called Ozobot has recently hit the market. It promises to take the physical-electronic gaming space into a whole new direction, thus completely changing the experience.
Introducing Ozobot
Ozobot is a tiny, really cute robot that is charged via a USB. It tracks lines by following a specific path. So far so good, but let’s see what else this robot with a brain can do. Ozobot is able to take things a lot further. It reads color palettes present on the line in order to be able to modify its own behavior such as path finding, speed and direction.
This action can be easily combined with a wealth of other tablet and physical video games to make a product that goes beyond the mere definition of game-toy divide. The Ozobot can also travel effortlessly from one circuit on your iPad onto a path that was physically drawn – once again making room for new ideas in video game mechanics.
Ozobot and the Games
Featuring more than 1 million code combinations, the Ozobot can be used in all kinds of situations. In most robotics contests there’s one challenge called “Follow the line”. The makers draw a line scattered with obstacles, and the robot capable of getting to the finish line in the shortest amount of time is the winner. Ozobot is only 2.5 cm in diameter and it can do a lot more than that.
It can recognize code and it features over 1,000 commands. Ozobot has a photosensitive cell that identifies color code and thus is able to act accordingly. The Americans who created the robot also invented 4 games based on Ozobot’s abilities, namely: OzoGroove, OzoLuck, OzoPath and OzoRace. All of them can be played on your smartphone and tablet.
The creators are claiming that OzoGroove is quite mesmerizing. CEO of Ozobot, Nader Hamda, says that the tiny robot is able to make games more social, and that’s the beauty of the technology. The ability to play social games together with your friends and family is an unforgettable experience; Ozobot has that old-fashioned board game allure, only that allure is now adapted to the modern world – it’s high-tech.
Ozobot – main features
Ozobot features a USB rechargeable LiPoly battery and on the surface there’s a LED that offers feedback to the user. Forbes called Ozobot the robot with a brain and for now the device is just a prototype; its creators are hoping to gather $100,000 from the fans through Kickstarter, one of the world’s most famous crowdfunding websites. Let’s have a closer look at some of the main features of Ozobot:
⦁ 2.5 cm in diameter & height
⦁ Photo sensor variety with a variety of colors, lights and secret code recognition abilities
⦁ Intelligent gameplay through optical communication
⦁ Color sensing advanced technology on digital and physical surfaces
⦁ Micro motors (Dual) with variable speeds
⦁ V-shaped optical sensor for 90-degree turns, intersections and line detections
⦁ Multi-colored LED lighting
If you’re looking to get your hands on the adorable Ozobot you will have to pay around $60 for the device. The robot will be available in two main colors – snow white and titanium black; more OzoSkins will be available in the future. The official release of the product will happen this 2014, but we don’t have an official date yet. We’ll just have to wait, see and be amazed!
Author Bio: The article is written by a well known writer and blogger Christopher Austin. He is a freelance writer covering the world of videogames, tech, and popular culture. Also he writes for an online gaming site Airplane Games 365.